Why Do We Need Better Cues?

MilwShooter

MilwShooter

Pool? Never heard of it..
Silver Member
I'm playing with a cheaper cue than most, a Brunswick Centennial. Runs around $130. It plays fine...as well as I use it in my opinion.

What's the advantage of a more expensive cue? Is it the materials? It can't be the tip, that's changeable. So what's the biggest factor in choosing a cue for more than the one I am already comfortable with and enjoy?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Lucasi Hybrid because of how I sweat and whatnot which I understand I could just get a cheap $5 rubber grip, but I've shot with McD's, Schon's, Players, Predators......I shoot just as well with my Brunswick. What am I missing? I want to improve my game, and if a new cue can help me along that way...great. But I think it's psychological. Right?
 
I think you're right...psychological. Spend the $$$ on a nice custom, like a Jack Madden or others, you'll find yourself working harder at your game.

http://www.johnmaddencues.com/

But really...it's the Indian, not the arrow.

Of course, that doesn't keep me from hoping that my arrow contains some magic. ;)
 
I totally agree with the "it's the indian and not the arrow" statement. Short of a very serious piece of junk cue that's just not mechanically sound, for the most part, I've always been able to at least 'adjust' to almost any piece of wood I could get my hands on. The whole custom cue thing? Well, it's like going back to the indian and the arrow comparison. I guess any indian would be proud if he knew the wood he was using for his arrows could only be found in a small cave in a remote location in the mountains of Montanna, and the spear tips he uses are made of a material that only he can get his hands on. To me, it's all about originality in knowing that although many people can own a cue from the same cue maker as I..............................nobody in the world owns a cue exactly like mine. Maybe it's a guy thing.:grin:
dave
 
Jallan said:
It makes a hell of a difference and that's what you tell my wife if she asks.
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then she'll tell you why she needs 26 pairs of black shoes....you just nod to the differences between them all and she'll nod to your reasons for a different cue.
 
trustyrusty said:
then she'll tell you why she needs 26 pairs of black shoes....you just nod to the differences between them all and she'll nod to your reasons for a different cue.
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My God! How have I missed this perfect reason all these years?
Thank you, trustyrusty. I feel the need for more cues (but first, I need to count up the shoes in my wife's closet).

What seems right, one cue for about every four pair of shoes? Five?
 
MilwShooter said:
I'm playing with a cheaper cue than most, a Brunswick Centennial. Runs around $130. It plays fine...as well as I use it in my opinion.

What's the advantage of a more expensive cue? Is it the materials? It can't be the tip, that's changeable. So what's the biggest factor in choosing a cue for more than the one I am already comfortable with and enjoy?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Lucasi Hybrid because of how I sweat and whatnot which I understand I could just get a cheap $5 rubber grip, but I've shot with McD's, Schon's, Players, Predators......I shoot just as well with my Brunswick. What am I missing? I want to improve my game, and if a new cue can help me along that way...great. But I think it's psychological. Right?
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It is pyscological, but not in the way you think....I'm sure some cues might play better for some folks than others will. I'm throwing out the idea of anyone buying and playing with a junk (by junk I mean materials wise) $20 stick from Kmart. So, those outta the way, it comes completely down to feel. What feels right to you may feel like garbage to me. Feel is subjective, yes, but it's the most important "psychological" aspect of picking a playing cue. Once you know what type of feel you want out of a playing cue, then you have to decide if you "need" something more asthetically pleasing to the eye - kind of a placebo effect here if you ask me. Once you know what feel, and look you like, then you may "need" an ego boost that nobody else has the same cue as yours.....keep in mind, this progression could go on forever. Some folks' journey could stop at any one of these "needs" or they could skip all of them and adapt to whatever is available, and affordable. Everyone's different, man!! ;) lol
 
MilwShooter said:
I'm playing with a cheaper cue than most, a Brunswick Centennial. Runs around $130. It plays fine...as well as I use it in my opinion.

What's the advantage of a more expensive cue? Is it the materials? It can't be the tip, that's changeable. So what's the biggest factor in choosing a cue for more than the one I am already comfortable with and enjoy?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Lucasi Hybrid because of how I sweat and whatnot which I understand I could just get a cheap $5 rubber grip, but I've shot with McD's, Schon's, Players, Predators......I shoot just as well with my Brunswick. What am I missing? I want to improve my game, and if a new cue can help me along that way...great. But I think it's psychological. Right?
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If you truly want to improve youe game don't change a thing as far as you cue is concerned, except maybe the tip or the cues weight. Cues do not make you a better player only practice can anyone who tries to tell you other wise either has no clue or they have some agenda. If the cue feels good to you, and you like the way it hits don't change a thing. The best players around today can pick up a house cues and kick your ass with it.
 
junkbond said:
My God! How have I missed this perfect reason all these years?
Thank you, trustyrusty. I feel the need for more cues (but first, I need to count up the shoes in my wife's closet).

What seems right, one cue for about every four pair of shoes? Five?
Click to expand...

Let's say she has 50 pair, and only moderate taste in footwear ($$$ wise)....50 x $100 = however many cues you can fit into that pricerange!! ;):thumbup:
 
Well, That's no fun. Using a dollar-equivalence, we're probably about even right now. I was thinking more along the line of length: line up all her shoes, end-to-end, and divide by 58 inches. Or maybe wrap-equivalence: one cue (wrap) for every three pair of shoes. There's got to be some way I can come out ahead on this...
 
junkbond said:
Well, That's no fun. Using a dollar-equivalence, we're probably about even right now. I was thinking more along the line of length: line up all her shoes, end-to-end, and divide by 58 inches. Or maybe wrap-equivalence: one cue (wrap) for every three pair of shoes. There's got to be some way I can come out ahead on this...
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there is....marry Imelda Marcos, or find a wife that doesn't care what you spend on cues...lol
 
MilwShooter said:
I'm playing with a cheaper cue than most, a Brunswick Centennial. Runs around $130. It plays fine...as well as I use it in my opinion.

What's the advantage of a more expensive cue? Is it the materials? It can't be the tip, that's changeable. So what's the biggest factor in choosing a cue for more than the one I am already comfortable with and enjoy?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Lucasi Hybrid because of how I sweat and whatnot which I understand I could just get a cheap $5 rubber grip, but I've shot with McD's, Schon's, Players, Predators......I shoot just as well with my Brunswick. What am I missing? I want to improve my game, and if a new cue can help me along that way...great. But I think it's psychological. Right?
Click to expand...



Just to give you an idea, unless they have changed in the last year or so, the Brunswick cues that come with the centennial package are actually made by Joss. So now you actually have one of them:eek:
 
Jallan said:
It makes a hell of a difference and that's what you tell my wife if she asks.
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hahahahahahah.............good one

theres a certain point where it becomes overkill but through the years your game changes hopefully for the better and the more cues you try youll find ones that you like more than others....some reasons are; the taper of the shaft, the balance point, the joint itself, the weight, the shaft diameter, tip and tip shape, type of wrap in any...etc...let me know if i missed something. different wood combos create a different weight and balance point. a good cuemaker can help u get what your after. plus if its from the right guy it will hold its value. which the mcd's and meuccis do not hold a value of any. especially with most of the az'ers standards.

once you know what your looking for in each category you can go to a cuemaker and get everything your looking for. once u start doing points and inlays then your cost goes up of course. i had a $3500 nitti with ivory everything and it was an amazing cue but i was so worried about dinging it or someone walking off with it. Im playing better now (because of practice) with my nitti sneaky pete and an ob1 shaft. i love that cue and was actually supposed to sell it for a friend and borrowed an ob1 shaft and put it on and couldnt get rid of it. I immediately sold my playing cue and predator shaft to get it. I dont see me getting rid of it anytime and i love it more than any other cue ive ever tried.

on the other hand paying for the ivory and inlays gives you something to be proud of. it scares off action but theres just something about opening your case and pulling out an amazing cue that has us all on the forum drooling over other peoples cues. What everyone else is saying is true also. if someone knocked on my door and handed me a szamboti i bet my life id spend the next month 11am-2pm mon-sun playing pool. that would bring my game up. A switch in cues will help motivate you to play which leads to a better game. but why do people buy ferrari when the go 60mph in a 65?
 
chazdillon said:
What everyone else is saying is true also. if someone knocked on my door and handed me a szamboti i bet my life id spend the next month 11am-2pm mon-sun playing pool. that would bring my game up. A switch in cues will help motivate you to play which leads to a better game. but why do people buy ferrari when the go 60mph in a 65?
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It didn't take a szamboti to get me to play better with a new cue. I spent a buncha time figuring out what my current player could do, and how it responded to this or that. (here's the key) Paid VERY close attention to the feel and responsivness to many types of shots. I discussed it in a thread I started about a honeymoon period with a new cue. Basically, it is the more attention I'm paying to shots, feel, results, etc. that is making me play better with my new cue. I'm determined to focus the way I did with it the first couple of weeks I put it in play, and the phase won't wear off :thumbup:

BTW-mine is nothing fancy (and certainly not all that pricey), but I did very much take it's look into the decision to buy this one - placebo (like I stated before), maybe, but that's OK...lol I just put a link to the gallery post of it in my sig. :thumbup:
 
Hhmmm I've never actually been asked for an answer to this. I'll need to dive into my parent's bag of tricks from when I was a kid.

Because I said so. Now sit down and shaddup before I give you a what for.

I would say that it has a great deal to do with the psychology of the game and the simple fact that people want better things. Why buy a $40,000 car when you can just as easily get from point A to point B in a $1,500 car? The answer is not heated seats either ;)
 
gunzby said:
Hhmmm I've never actually been asked for an answer to this. I'll need to dive into my parent's bag of tricks from when I was a kid.

Because I said so. Now sit down and shaddup before I give you a what for.

I would say that it has a great deal to do with the psychology of the game and the simple fact that people want better things. Why buy a $40,000 car when you can just as easily get from point A to point B in a $1,500 car? The answer is not heated seats either ;)
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less time pushing one of 'em from point A to point B, maybe?? :D
 
trustyrusty said:
less time pushing one of 'em from point A to point B, maybe?? :D
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Nah, that's just one of the excuses we use to validate the decision. Keep in mind that you could buy that $1,500 car and add one seriously bad ass engine onto the car for the extra $38,500. I think I would rather have that car than the $40,000 stock car.
 
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